All five naked-eye planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and
Saturn) plus the moon gather around the sun on May 5 in a relatively
compact grouping. The same planets and the sun (but not the moon)
form an even more compact grouping twelve days later on May 17.
Although unusual from a statistical standpoint, the planetary
gatherings cannot be seen and will have no effect on the earth.

The planets are always in motion, and from time to time one passes
another or several gather into a compact grouping. Because the sun is
part of these particular groupings, the planets cannot be seen in
May, and the main feature is the novelty of the event. The planets
were last this close in February, 1962, and they will not be this
close again until the year 2675.

Some sensationalist writers and talk-show guests claim that planetary
groupings have an effect on the earth through tidal or "unknown"
forces and that such groupings trigger disasters on earth. The tidal
forces are well understood and are negligible, and the earth has a
history of surviving planetary alignments unscathed. Previous
planetary groupings in 1962, 1982, and 1988 - all of which were
accompanied by predictions of doom and gloom - had no effect
whatsoever.

Planetary gatherings is the topic of the current planetarium show,
"Cosmic Catastrophe." The show evaluates the claim that planetary
alignments cause disasters, shows how the planets move around the
sky, looks at the alignments in May, and concludes with a preview of
a future planetary alignment we will be able to see. "Cosmic
Catastrophe" is presented daily except Mondays through May 21.

For information on Griffith Observatory programs and activities,
including planetarium show times, please call (323) 664-1191 for a
recorded message or visit the web site at http://www.GriffithObs.org.

For additional information on events in the sky, call the
Observatory's Sky Report at (323) 663-8171, or visit the Sky
Information page of the Observatory's web site at
http://www.GriffithObs.org/Skyinfo.html (this page contains color
graphics of the planetary groupings).

For a detailed analysis of May's planetary grouping, read "Planetary
Alignments in 2000" by John Mosley at
http://www.GriffithObs.org/SkyAlignments.html.

Hi Saul,
I was just doing a 10 year retrospective of astronomical postings,
when I came across this one.
It is a forgotten prelude to my Outlandish Astronomical Tables of All
Planets and Pluto.
http://www.groupsrv.com/science/post-2782569.html
You will remember that I said it was a real-time scientific
investigation for the duration of
the thread, which was 42 days long.
Then I posted a copy of my Outlandish Particle Periodic Table Update
VII.
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/swnet.sci.astro/msg/fe44fb7ccc163b7b?hl=en
This was a part-time scientific investigation that took 42 years and
is ongoing.
It makes you think.
Thank you,
Tony Lance
tonylance@myinternetuk.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Saul Levy wrote:

I am not into self-fulfilling prophecy.
I use tables, which are not approved of.
I use one refernce point for an orbit, so two is not a problem.
The eleventh commandment for programming is not to make assumptions.
I do not stick labels on people.
I cannot debug a program subjectively, only objectively.
My conclusions are what I find, not confirmation of what I was looking for.
My stuff is on a take it or leave it basis.
Scientific cartoons may or may not work.
Please do not feel the need to believe a word I say.
Religion makes poor science.
Thank you,
Tony Lance
tonylance@myinternetuk.com

Hi there,
I was having a look at the daylight event in 2675 AD, given in the thread header.
It shows an all planet event, without Pluto, which is darkside of Earth.
Checking 496 years earlier, at a time, I went on to find the below table of cycles.
This is given the name Ring Cycles of Pluto.

Viewed from London looking south. (Daylight events) All Planets and Pluto.
Move forward a day at a time,
with occassional one hour reductions for view.

At 15:01 on 1st September 1982 AD See I
Until 10:44 on 8th January 1983 AD

Ring Cycles of Pluto.

Viewed from London looking south. (Daylight events) All Planets only.
The perspective from Pluto, darkside of Earth, still shows all planets and
Earth events. Move forward a day at a time,
with occassional one hour reductions for view.

At 15:02 on 23rd December 2674 AD see I
Until 10:02 on 2nd June 2675 AD

At 14:08 on 4th March 2179 AD
Until 11:51 on 2nd May 2179 AD

At 14:01 on 24th January 1676 AD
Until 10:10 on 10th April 1676 AD

At 13:04 9th December 1167 AD
Until 9:29 on 28th March 1168 AD

At 15:43 on 12th November 667 AD
Until 9:04 on 18th March 668 AD

At 12:48 on 22nd January 230 AD
Until 7:31 on 30th April 230 AD

At 13:33 on 24th February 266 BC (-265)
Until 9:38 on 9th May 266 BC

At 15:41 on 30th January 739 BC (-738)
Until 9:28 on 22nd August 739 BC

At 14:21 on 9th February 741 BC (-740) Three events in six years.
Until 9:54 on 16th July 741 BC

At 13:08 on 19th February 743 BC (-742)
Until 9:28 31st May 743 BC

At 14:23 on 28th February 1240 BC (-1239)
Until 9:35 on 6th July 1240 BC

At 14:01 on 11th February 1748 BC (-1747)
Until 9:24 on 2nd May 1748 BC

At 12:56 on 2nd February 2271 BC (-2270)
Until 8:08 on 13th May 2271 BC

At 14:26 on 8th November 2782 BC (-2781)
Until 10:51 on 21st February 2782 BC